Wedding 16mm

[angelina]

have you any experience shooting a wedding in 16mm? Should I go bolex or ARRi? what is the difference?

 

I am shooting one this year. and I wanted to know

if the Arri SR1 would be a good camera. If I should have a steady cam? go hand held or on a tripod.

Also what film would you recommend?

[Chance Shirley]

I had a couple of friends shoot my wedding last summer on two cameras: Aaton LTR 54 S16 and a wind-up Super 8. We used 250 speed black and white in the Aaton and Kodachrome color reversal in the S8.

 

Footage from each camera had its charms (the S16 B/W is beautiful, the Kodachrome looks like old home movies). Personally, if I had to pick from the two, I'd go with the B/W. But I really dig B/W.

 

I'd say if you're looking for an old home movie look, use the Bolex and a reversal stock (assuming you have enough light). If you'll be dealing with low light or want a more modern look, use the SR and color negative. If you want something in the ballpark of a "classic Hollywood" look, go with the SR and black and white stock.

[timHealy]

I made these for friends and family:

 

http://healyweddingfilms.com/portfolio.html

 

16mm, Zeiss 10-100 zoom, mostly 7245, but some 250 and 320 stock, transferred to digibeta, dubbed down to mini DV or DV cam for editing with FCP. The more mags with different stocks the better.

 

Everything is handheld and I keep the camera moving. Shoot at 24 or 30 fps. Sometimes 12 or 48. I like to mix nice shots with the rough handheld stuff where the camera was still rolling. I use flash frames, but may have overused that on one, and out of focus stuff too. Sometimes I use FCP to change the speed of a shot too. I experiment and just try it and see if something works.

 

I made a website for possible work but it is only filmophiles who would try such a thing. "Wedding films" are something the average couple doesn't want to pay extra to get (films costs, processing, and transfer) and some really want the one and a half to two hour cheesy weeding video. So I am not quitting my day job. But I do enjoy making them for my friends and family. I am currently editing two more that I hope to have done and added to the site soon. Also a wedding video or film tends to be at the end of all the expenses incurred for a wedding. So there may not be any cash left in the parents briefcase by the time they get to that.

 

Best

 

Tim

Edited April 6, 2006 by heel_e

[Boris Belay]

Angelina,

My sense is that for your purposes, the quality of the cameras (technically speaking) will be equivalent, and your real criteria for choice is the kind of film you want to make.

Bolex H16's and Arri SR's are very different beast in the way you handle them -- if you want to be very mobile with a light, hand-held camera (which does not mean shaky shots, just moving fast), i would say go with a Bolex (electric, or possibly mechanical, if you don't want to be messing with batteries and cords and can live with 25 second shots) and 100ft spools : you'll be everywhere and fast, able to be very close to people, mor intimate. If you want more composed shots, and more importantly a 10 minute shooting time with a more quiet camera, then the Arri (on a tripod) would be more like it. But you'll also be more bulky, more professional looking, and more distant to the guests -- which may or may not be what you want.

It's a bit more complicated than that (the Bolex can be mounted on a tripod with a large mag, the Arri can be shoulder-held,...), but that's more or less the difference betweent the cameras and above all, it's more about the film you want to make : more or less formal, intimate,...

As for the film stock, the answer is the same : any film stock sold today is excellent and the choice is only determined by what you want to have as a result.

If you tell us more about the kind of film you want to shoot, we can help you more too.

-B.

[A.Oliver]

Hi, a few years back i shot my sisters wedding on a scoopic 16ms and r16 on k25. I found the 100ft loads a real problem, i was either missing shots due to the constant reloading of the camera or being economical with the odd shot in fear of running out of film midway thru a sequence. Given my time again, I would now use an SR with a supply of loaded mags. The SR of course is a lot quieter than a bolex, so you should get closer in on the candid shots. K25 gave stunning results when the sun came out, it struggled in the heavily shaded tree surrounded church, especially in between the dark rain clouds. Given my time again, i would still shoot kodachrome, provided it was wall to wall sunshine. If a cloudy bright day, would opt for 100d reversal (I like to project and not t/k the film). As you only get one chance at a wedding, the neg route has to be favourite, the neg route for me would be 7201 or 7205. Make sure you know the camera inside out before the big day, and take a back up one with you. Good Luck.

[k3shooter]

Any advice on how to coordinate with the videographers shooting at the same time. Wondering if the noise of an MOS camera would ruin the video footage. I'm slated to shoot a wedding in a few months and any advice would be much appreciated. I would like to get up close and personal shots as opposed to hanging in the shadows and using the zoom all the time. Thanks.

 

 

Greg

Edited April 8, 2006 by k3shooter